Maresca insists he “wanted to sign” player despite contrasting reports and hints at future Chelsea role | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has insisted he was behind the signing of Joao Felix and hinted at a possible future role for the Portugal international.

Despite only joining the Blues from Atletico Madrid last summer for £44.5m and signing a seven year contract, Felix decided he wanted a new challenge in January.

The 25-year-old completed a deadline loan switch to AC Milan, and scored on his debut for the Italian giants against Roma.

Maresca insists he was behind Felix signing

Felix didn’t have the best time over the first half of the campaign and played second fiddle to Cole Palmer in the number ten role.

The 25-year-old started just three Premier League games, although he fared better in the cup competitions where he was more of a regular.

Felix scored seven goals in all competitions for the Blues in the first half of the campaign, but former Liverpool star Luis Garcia has warned the Portuguese he needs to change his mentality.

Felix scored on his AC Milan debut. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

There were suggestions that Maresca didn’t want Felix, and there are now question marks surrounding his long term future at Stamford Bridge.

However, speaking ahead of the FA Cup tie with Brighton, Maresca insisted he was fully behind the signing of Felix, and even hinted at a future role for him.

“Absolutely yes, if Joao was here it’s because I wanted to sign Joao,” he said as quoted by The Evening Standard when asked if he wanted to sign Felix.

“I don’t know about the future, it’s complicated to talk about the future.

“For me, it’s just about now and the reason why Joao left is because of his desire is to get more minutes. Here, since we started, he struggled to get minutes, and he wants to leave because he wants to play more minutes, it’s no more than that.

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“Sometimes you buy players, but after six months or one year, altogether – player, club, manager, you decide that it’s better option for him to leave or to stay.”

Felix is set to return to Chelsea before the Club World Cup in the summer, and then a decision will likely be taken on his future.